PREMIER LEAGUE
MONDAY 19TH AUGUST, 2024
(8pm at King Power Stadium)
LEICESTER CITY 1(0) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1(1)

Leicester scorer:-
Vardy, 57

Spurs scorer:-
Pedro Porro, 29

Attendance:- 31,977

Referee:- Chris Kavanagh
Assistants:- Lee Betts, Richard West
Fourth official:- Robert Jones
VAR:- David Coote
Assistant VAR:- Steve Meredith

Teams:-
Leicester (4-2-3-1):- 30. Hermansen; 2. Justin, 3. Faes, 23. Vestergaard, 16. Kristiansen; 8. Winks, 6. Ndidi; 7. Fatawu, 40. Buananotte (sub 24. Soumare, 79), 14. Decordova-Reid (sub 35. McAteer, 86); 9. Vardy (Capt.) (sub 10. Mavididi, 79)
(Armband to Winks)

Subs not used:- 1. Ward; 5. Okoli, 17. Choudhury, 21. Ricardo, 26. Nelson; 28. Cannon

Booked:- Faes (foul on Kulusevski)

Spurs (4-2-3-1):- 1. Vicario; 23. Pedro Porro (sub 24. Spence, 90+2), 17. Romero, 37. Van de Ven, 13. Udogie; 29. Sarr (sub 15. Bergvall, 78), 30. Bentancur (sub 14. Gray, 78); 22. Johnson (sub 16. Werner, 78), 10. Maddison (sub 21. Kulusevski, 79), 7. Son (Capt.) (sub 9. Richarlison, 90+2); 19. Solanke
Gray was a concussion substitute for Bentancur
Armband to Romero

Subs not used:- 40. Austin; 6. Dragusin, 33. Davies

Booked:- Bentancur (foul on Ndidi)

Spurs fluff their lines

Thanks to Cassim Patel for this picture

Pre-match favourites Tottenham failed to put away relegation prospects Leicester despite first half domination in which they had no less than 10 corners and probably as many shots including several chances for debutant and record signing Dominic Solanke. The problem was that none of those shots truly bothered Leicester keeper Mads Hermansen whereas Vicario had two crucial saves to make in the second half when Leicester were allowed a come-back and almost a win.

37-year-old Jamie Vardy scored Leicester's goal and spurned another chance just before he was substituted. Vardy had almost no pre-season but declared himself fit. Harry Winks played against his former team for the first time and Oliver Skipp sat on the Leicester squad seats as his transfer (worth up to £25 million) was announced earlier in the day.

Despite his impressive pre-season displays, Dejan Kulusevski was surprisingly left on the bench in favour of Brennan Johnson, who tended to fail when it mattered most. Yves Bissouma had been suspended for this game by Spurs, following his recent laughing gas exploits. Bissouma will probably be needed on Saturday against Everton as Rodrigo Bentancur suffered a nasty clash of heads and possible concussion late in the second half. Archie Gray was officially a concussion substitute and made his official debut alongside fellow debutant Lucas Bergvall. Latest signing Wilson Odobert was not one of the Spurs 18-maan squad.

There were pre-match commemorations of former assistant manager and coach Craig Shakespeare, who died earlier this month. The Leicester players wore black armbands.

Spurs kicked off, playing away from their fans, and there was a mixed reception from the home fans for former player James Maddison. The game started in persistent rain.

Son won the first corner after three minutes and a second soon followed following a good challenge by Solanke. Bentancur had a near post header cleared off the line by Ndidi, after which Hermansen did make a sharp save from Johnson's shot.

A Solanke header was comfortably held, and Son won another corner following a neat pass by Maddison. After a short corner on the right and a cross by Pedro Porro, Romero headed just wide. Spurs had been camped in the Leicester half but had failed to gain any reward for such domination. That would prove to be costly.

A Son cross from the left was mis-hit and went behind the goal. Solanke went down under Vestergaard's challenge in the box after another Maddison pass, but referee Chris Kavanagh was not interested in the penalty appeal. Johnson made a good tackle in his own half, but slipped when he advanced and attacked the right wing.

Finally, a much-deserved lead came when Pedro Porro made a good short run into the box, meeting Maddison's short cross with an intended header that actually came off his back hitting the net inside the keeper's left post.

Maddison was fouled outside the Leicester area by Ndidi. Maddison was expected to shoot but lifted his free kick to the back post where Johnson fired wide across the goal.

Vicario held a cross by Fatawu, and suddenly he was being tested as he raced out of his area to head away a long pass intended for Vardy. Decordova-Reid saw the opportunity with the keeper out of his area but hit his shot well off target.

There were no changes at half-time. Johnson won an early corner on the right, but that came to nought. He, Maddison, and Pedro Porro were toying with the defence down Leicester's left, but Pedro Porro's nutmeg pass to Maddison was blocked.

Vardy and Decordova-Reid threatened on the counter but there was an offside flag. A Sarr ball from the right reached Solanke, whose right-footed effort was saved. Solanke just failed to make contact with a Pedro Porro cross. Bentancur and Johnson exchanged inside the area on the right, but Hermansen was equal to Bentancur's shot.

Spurs were caught out when Kristiansen's cross from the left ran through the area and was quickly returned by Fatawu. Vardy had been given too much space and headed past Vicario.

Vardy had another chance but failed to control a cross from the left. Leicester had their tails up and their crowd had been brought to life. Bentancur was booked for halting Ndidi after Maddison had failed to control a Solanke pass. Ndidi hit the side netting with a shot from the right. The momentum had changed.

Hermansen was out quickly to take the ball off Son's toes. At the other end Vicario saved well, low to his left from Vardy's left-footed shot.

There was a long delay when Bentancur was injured, after which Postecoglou made four substitutions. Werner played on the right and Kulusevski partnered Solanke in the middle.

There was some good midfield interplay and after a corner on the right, Bergvall had a shot blocked after Solanke's pass. Kasey McAteer nearly had a dream start when he came on for Decordova-Reid but headed a Leicester free kick over the bar.

Bergvall had been looking good going forward but was admonished by Vicario when his error on the Leicester left flank allowed a cross by Mavididi and required a good save from Ndidi's header. Hermansen came out quickly again to beat Werner to the ball after another Solanke pass. Richarlison was a late replacement for Son and spurned a good chance at the near post from a Bergvall free kick.

In the end Spurs under-performed and under-achieved. We need to do better at home to Everton on Saturday.

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